Midlands 2 Manchester 0 As Both United And City Lose

byDavidonSeptember 28, 2013

I am sure that if you have made a double bet that Aston Villa would beat Manchester City at home and that West Brom would beat Manchester United at Old Trafford today you would be a wealthy man tonight.

The David Moyes era at United is not getting off to a good start. Today’s defeat was United’s third of the season, and we have only played six games!

After a goalless first half, the match sprung to life in the second with Morgan Amalfitano nutmegged Rio Ferdinand to score a superb solo goal. Three minutes later A Wayne Rooney free-kick found the back of the net. But instead of Moyes’s side continuing on to win the game it was Steve Clarke’s side that got the winner through a tremendous strike from Saido Berahino.

As shocking as that defeat was for United, the one that Man City suffered was just as unexpected. City dominated the first half Villa Park and led 1-0 at the break when Yaya Toure scored from a corner.

Villa got back on equal terms when Karim El Ahmadi scored six minutes into the second half, but when Edin Dzeko bundled in Samir Nasri’s corner five minutes later I expected City to go on and win.

But just like they did earlier in the season at Cardiff, City let Villa back in the game. First when Bacuna curled in a terrific free-kick and then the City defence was beaten out by a simple long ball and Andreas Weimann ran clear to prod past Hart.

There was no defensive frailties in Wales where Arsenal won 2-1 to extend their lead at the top of the table to two points over Spurs. Serge Gnabry scored his first Premier League goal to put the Gunners up 1-0 before Aaron Ramsey scored his eight goal of the season to make it 2-0. Swansea scored with ten minutes remaining through Ben Davies, but Arsene Wenger’s side held out to record their eighth straight victory on the road.

Arsenal’s lead over Spurs is two points as Tottenham were held by Chelsea in the early game. Gylffi Sigurdsson put Spurs ahead in the first half with a composed finish to round off a smart team move. But Jose Mourinho’s side levelled midway through the second half when Juan Mata’s free-kick was glanced in by John Terry.

Chelsea finished the game with ten men as Fernando Torres, who had been having an ongoing tussle with Jan Vertonghen throughout the second half, was shown a second yellow card for the last of a number of clashes between the two men.

Elsewhere Southampton, Cardiff and Hull City beat Crystal Palace, Fulham and West Ham respectively, results that leave Palace and Fulham in the bottom three.